Concerns about nitrate leaching and runoff, as well as contamination of ground and surface waters with other elements of the applied sludge have been raised due to the nutrient content of the material (note low C:N of 7). The C in the applied sludge will partly be converted into CO2 within the first cycle of microbial decomposition comparable to the leaf pile. Required:
a. Does the sludge nitrogen content limit microbial decomposition processes? What else could limit the decomposition of organic sludge compounds?
b. Are the concerns noted above (relative to N transport) justified? Why?
c. Compare the efficiency of decomposition between the leaf pile and the sludge.